(no subject)
SPLASH!!!
A stroller sitting dangerously close to the edge of a public pool finally succumbs to gravity and tips over, spilling its infant cargo into the pool near the 11' mark. A lifeguard plunges in and struggles through the press of bodies to reach the babe in time. Upon retrieving the child, it is clear to see that it is beyond saving, yet the guard tries nonetheless. Determined not to see such a precious life extinguished on his watch, the lifeguard applies emergency breathing for three quarters of an hour with no response. By the time the emergency techs arrive, they can do nothing more than wrap the tiny body in some blankets. All the while, the question is buzzing among the onlookers, "where is the mother?"
As the techs wrap up the babe, a gaunt, sour-faced woman pushes her way through the crowd. "What's all the hubbub?" she shrills, elbowing a child out of her way. "Why don chall take this damn noise someplace else? Can't you see mah baby's tryin tah sleep?" She finally makes it through to where the life guard is kneeling cradling the dead baby to his chest. He looks up as she approaches and, still weeping, hands the little bundle to her.
"I'm sorry." He says. "I tried everything I could, but i couldn't save her." He crumples back to the ground in tears.
The woman's face goes utterly blank and, for just one moment, it looks like she too is about to break down. Her eyes sparkle with unshed tears and she strokes the little corpse gently. Then, her eyes harden like two chips of crystal and she places the child on the ground next to the lifeguard. He looks up to hear her say, "This ain't mah child." She snatches up her purse, and walks off.
The lifeguard picks up the little bundle and hurries after her. "Ma'am,"he says, laying a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry, but this..."
She whirls on him, red faced with her hands curled like claws. "Git that thing away from me!! I don't know what kind of sick fuck you are but that is no child o mine!! Mah baby is alive and ahm goin home so that i can be with Mah child!!!" She slaps his hand away and storms off, leaving the lifeguard still holding the dead baby. One of the EMT's comes and takes the baby with a quiet word of thanks to the lifeguard for his dedication. It goes completely unheard as the guard stumbles away in a daze. The very next day he is found dead in his apartment. A handgun lies next to him on the floor.
A stroller sitting dangerously close to the edge of a public pool finally succumbs to gravity and tips over, spilling its infant cargo into the pool near the 11' mark. A lifeguard plunges in and struggles through the press of bodies to reach the babe in time. Upon retrieving the child, it is clear to see that it is beyond saving, yet the guard tries nonetheless. Determined not to see such a precious life extinguished on his watch, the lifeguard applies emergency breathing for three quarters of an hour with no response. By the time the emergency techs arrive, they can do nothing more than wrap the tiny body in some blankets. All the while, the question is buzzing among the onlookers, "where is the mother?"
As the techs wrap up the babe, a gaunt, sour-faced woman pushes her way through the crowd. "What's all the hubbub?" she shrills, elbowing a child out of her way. "Why don chall take this damn noise someplace else? Can't you see mah baby's tryin tah sleep?" She finally makes it through to where the life guard is kneeling cradling the dead baby to his chest. He looks up as she approaches and, still weeping, hands the little bundle to her.
"I'm sorry." He says. "I tried everything I could, but i couldn't save her." He crumples back to the ground in tears.
The woman's face goes utterly blank and, for just one moment, it looks like she too is about to break down. Her eyes sparkle with unshed tears and she strokes the little corpse gently. Then, her eyes harden like two chips of crystal and she places the child on the ground next to the lifeguard. He looks up to hear her say, "This ain't mah child." She snatches up her purse, and walks off.
The lifeguard picks up the little bundle and hurries after her. "Ma'am,"he says, laying a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry, but this..."
She whirls on him, red faced with her hands curled like claws. "Git that thing away from me!! I don't know what kind of sick fuck you are but that is no child o mine!! Mah baby is alive and ahm goin home so that i can be with Mah child!!!" She slaps his hand away and storms off, leaving the lifeguard still holding the dead baby. One of the EMT's comes and takes the baby with a quiet word of thanks to the lifeguard for his dedication. It goes completely unheard as the guard stumbles away in a daze. The very next day he is found dead in his apartment. A handgun lies next to him on the floor.